I must not go out in
public also, and I have been sent here away from the city for a
time to cure my rebellious spirit."
"Those dresses must be hot."
"Oh, very uncomfortable! But, you see, I was bad."
"Not very bad?"
"Indeed. I disobeyed my father, my uncle, everybody." For the
first time her eyes grew bright with anger. "But I did not wish to
be married."
"Now, I see. They wanted you to marry some fellow you don't like?"
"I do like him--"
"You did exactly right to refuse. By all means stand pat, and
don't--"
"'Stand pat.' I have not heard that word since I was in
Baltimore."
"It's awful to marry somebody you don't like," he declared, with
such earnest conviction that she inquired, quickly:
"Ah, then are you married?"
"No! But everybody says it's positively criminal to marry without
love."
"The gentleman is very handsome."
He shuddered, "Beware of handsome men. If you have any idea of
marriage, select a large, plain man with blue eyes and light
hair."
"I do not know such a person."
"Not yet, of course; that is, not well enough to marry him."
"It is not nice to speak of such things," said the young lady,
primly. "And it is not nice also to speak with strange gentlemen
who come out of the forest when one is doing penance.
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